Load factor, in aviation, refers to the ratio of the lift force acting on an aircraft to the aircraft’s weight. It quantifies the amount of force experienced by an aircraft in flight relative to its weight and is expressed as a dimensionless number.
The formula to calculate load factor () is:
Where:
- is the load factor (dimensionless),
- is the lift force acting on the aircraft (in Newtons or pounds-force),
- is the weight of the aircraft (in Newtons or pounds-force).